Make It Work
by freestyle-bentos
Summary: Ryoma has arrived back in Tokyo and slowly becomes the center of the universe for four men in a dying relationship REMAKE OF CAFE LATTE, actually completely rewritten


**Author's Note** : This is a retelling and hopefully a means to an end. The previous version of Café Latte had really burned me out. Mainly the problem had been my writing and my poor planning. I rushed a lot of things and took way too many breaks in between causing the chapters to become mix matched. The later chapters had taken on a new life compared to the first few, the fiction had been to be a series of drabbles in the beginning. So, after a long break and surprisingly continued support from the people who surprisingly (to me it was surprising anyway) adored the story, I wish to start anew and continue as well as finish the tale. There are not a lot of OT6 fic's and I kind of prided myself in the fact that a lot of people found my story to be unique. I hope to continue to bring that edge to the table in this new adapted version. Nothing from the first nine chapters that had been updated under the original version will change at the core. I plan to condense all nine into two or three chapters so we all will be able to continue with the story. BUT please do not skip them if you have already read Café Latte, a lot of the core story will not change but certain situations and context will most definitely change. Without further delay I will end this author's note and let you continue to the story.

Oh wait hold on one more thing. I am changing the name of this fanfictions. When I had started Café Latte, I'm was obsessed with coffee and brewing and the story was originally supposed to centered around the café. But things have changed. So new title.

* * *

Autumn had settled in quickly and gracefully in Japan. The weather had yet to take a turn towards freezing, and so Ryoma had decided to put off buying any thick comforters for his mattress. The young male with oddly green tinted hair and wide energetic golden eyes had spent the last four hours twisting and weaving his way through the Tokyo shopping district, and he was way past being over it. He had never been much for crowds, or shopping for anything over than tennis equipment but doing things he didn't want to do had just seemed to be part of living an independent adult life. Having just turned twenty couple of months ago and upon moving back to Japan from the United States he quickly concluded that he couldn't just go back to living with his parents. Both he and his parents, while of course not losing love for one another, had just moved on from how things used to be. Things were weird, and awkward since moving back. Nanjiroh was quiet now days and distant, and his mother Rinko was home more often. Oddly while Ryoma had never longed for his mother to have more a presence in his life as a child, with her being a working business woman and all that, being in the house with her and having her around all the time… smothering him…had been unbearable. The woman had seemed to not notice or chose not to notice her son had always been independent, or perhaps the better word was aloof, about his life and personal matters. But she just kept pushing him, and _pushing him._

Finding a place to stop and rest was Ryoma Echizen's number one priority now. His feet were burning as if he's just finished to consecutive matches at the US Open. That was probably an exaggeration, but they were throbbing. The young man zeroed on a cozy little hole in the wall, it looked like a café and once he neared the entrance he could tell by the smell of freshly baked pastries and ground beans it was a good café. The name was strange though, Seiro Yunada, which is what threw him off about what type of shop it was. Then again with a name like that it could only be some sort of café. It wasn't the first time he had passed by the shop in the month he had been home. He passed by quiet often as he moved about the city getting his life together. Most times he would see an angelic lavender haired barista working behind the counter, or a tall stoic look looking gentleman with a clipboard walking about the small shop, directing other younger looking employees. Most of the faces were familiar each time he passed so Ryoma figured only a handful, perhaps four or five people, were employed there. As always, the display in front of the window, a small spread of delicate looking desserts tempted his taste buds. How many times had he passed by the display and denied himself the treat? This time he was going to get his lands on that blackberry tart. The low rumble of thunder urged him into the shop.

Upon entering the café, Ryoma found a seat for himself first, a small table in the corner where the lighting was a bit dimmer and he had a clear view of outside through the window. He set his shopping conquests on the floor underneath the table, clearly not worried about the being stolen or not. Consequences, results, the future, what if's…he was just not actively worried about these sorts of things. The male slipped his hands into his black fitted jeans and moved to stand in line behind two other customers. He absently-minded looked around the shop passively enjoying the moody aesthetic décor whomever own the shop had picked out. Eventually he came full circle and his gaze passed over everything there was to see in the shop, his eyes looked towards the counter. The angle was again, standing in front of the expression machine. Ryoma wouldn't have noticed this, but his gaze softened as the barista's became more intense. He was focused on the brew, and his intense focus for some reason had Ryoma a bit flustered. There was only one customer in front of Ryoma now, but he didn't notice. He watched as the angelic barista moved and slowly processed his art. The man looked up suddenly, as if he knew there was some awe filled gaze on him. The locked eyes, and Ryoma looked away. Ryoma missed the playful, sadistic, smile on the supposed angel's face. It was Ryoma's turn to order.

"Good afternoon," Ryoma recognized the man working the register as the man he often saw with the clipboard. "Would you like to try one of our new recipes today, coconut almond macchiato or cinnamon chai latte?"

Ryoma shook his head, "Vanilla latte, and one blackberry tart. Or actually two tarts and I'll just have one to go."

The man nodded stiffly, as if he were straining himself to be courteous. "Alright, here take this number." After a short exchange, Ryoma giving the man exact change for his order and the man handing him numbered card, Ryoma went back to his bags. They were still safely tucked under the table.

Five or so minutes later, two saucer plates were placed in front of the daydreaming male. One was filled with his tart, the other a cup with his latte. "Thanks." He murmured, and sat up straighter so he could eat. He hadn't bothered looking up to see who had delivered his order, until he had lifted the cup to take a drink and realized the person was still there hovering over him.

"I see you have finally made it inside."

Ryoma looked up and golden met with cool slate gray eyes and a playful smirk.

"I've seen you pass by quite a few times, you're always eyeing the desserts in the display. It's nice to see you decided to drop in." The man obliged himself and sat down in the chair across from Ryoma.

Ryoma, who wasn't one for small talk especially with strangers, didn't hide his annoyance. He could hardly care that the man had captivated him just minutes earlier, it wasn't as if he was interested in knowing him. "Your slacking off, your boss will be upset."

The male's somewhat mocking laughter gave Ryoma shivers. "Oh, I'm sure he will be quite upset that I am over here with you right now. But not for the reasons your implying." The man spoke after he'd recovered from his amusement. That was another thing, several things, Ryoma did not like. Cryptic junk, people who could not take a hint, and not being taken seriously.

"Now, now I just came to hear your opinions on that blackberry tart. It doesn't sell very well you see. I suppose it wasn't a good flavor for a tart, the blackberries I mean. I should have done up a cake or pie, instead right? Well after I had made one and it was so nice looking, very pleasing to the eye, I decided to go ahead and try to sell the tarts." Ryoma's eye twitched. Why was this man talking to him as if they had been good friends for some time now? If Ryoma was being honest the man chatted like a woman. That was sexist. But he didn't know how else to describe the one-sided conversation about this that and the weather in London town. Finally, Ryoma couldn't take it anymore. The young man cut into his dessert and shoved a forkful into the barista's mouth mid-sentence.

"If it tastes good to you then that's fine isn't it. Common sense." Ryoma stated bluntly as he pulled the fork from between the man's lips and put it to the side. He then grabbed his bags from under the table and stood up in one fluid motion. "Mada mada dane."

With a sigh, Seiichi flipped the page of the novel he had been struggling to finish for the last thirty minutes as he waited for Genichirou to finish up his work on the computer so they could go home. He was skimming the pages at this point in his state of exasperation, his mind all to easily and suddenly drifting off. To the ignorant he seemed completely composed and focused on his reading like any other time. However, Genichirou could decipher past that practiced façade of calm and collected. As any lover would, he had little trouble noticing the faint differences between a naturally calm and devious Seiichi and a very mentally preoccupied and anxious one. Gen allowed a sigh of his own to pass his lips and sat back in his chair. He brought a hand to his face and rubbed the bridge of his nose gently, "Seiichi, your restless." He stated. Standing from the chair, Genichirou Sanada moved to the little counter in the shared office of the café and quietly fixed the m both a cup of earl grey tea. The silence gave Seiichi Yukimura a chance to collect his thoughts for the conversation he knew he would be having with Genichirou. The man had been none too pleased about the happenings that afternoon. It was not odd, new, or strange for both men and woman to send a lingering gaze Seiichi way when they found him working in the café. He was attractive, it was not an opinion but a very well-known and completely embraced fact. However, Genichirou treated every offender with the same ridged prejudice even though Seiichi never paid them any mind. Today however was the first time an onlooker did not go ignored, and his very old fashioned lover was utterly offended.

"Thank you, Gen." Seiichi spoke softly, taking the cup of tea offered to him. "Has everything on the order sheet been processed yet, or are we still waiting on the credit approval for the new shipment?"

Gen sat back down and nodded curtly, "Everything in on schedule the new china will be on its way by Monday and I've sent Keigo the papers from the construction company about having them tear down the wall so we may be able to expand the café." He replied, the took a sip from his own perfectly good and still useable cup. The straight-forward man could never argue with Seiichi, doing so would provoke the sleeping sadist within the man, but he did try to reason with him when he insisted on purchasing yet another new dining ware for the café. "Seiichi, I know that the café is well off and it wouldn't crease our budget to purchase these new dining sets but do you really need to ship them from India?"

At that, Seiichi chuckled and shook his head. "But these are one of a kind, simply lovely. Our customers deserve to drink from the finest there is."

Genichirou rolled his eyes discreetly. The other had packed up the kitchen cabinets at home with cups, mugs, plates, and anything he found online that suited his tastes and now he was trying to do the same at work. This was hardly about the customers and more about Seiichi's weird fascination with dining sets. "It's not like you to beat around the bush Gen, shall we cut to the chase and call it a night. I'm sure the others have eaten dinner without as already."

Taking the hint that Seiichi already knew what he wanted to discuss, Genichirou set his cup down. "What is your fascination with that boy."

Seiichi raised a thin brow, now placing his own cup to the side. "Fascination is a bit of an odd but specific word don't you think?"

"Sei…"

"It's not a fascination." Seiichi sighed. "I was merely curious about it. You've seen him too, passing by, stalking the display in front of the window. He seems familiar but I cannot remember where from." The male explained. "Are you getting jealous?" Seiichi teased.

Genichirou didn't bit at the bait Seiichi was dangling in front of him, the man got to many kicks out of seeing him flustered. "Then why did you look so blissful about having cake shoved into your mouth?"

Seiichi shrugged his shoulders, "It was amusing, not at all what I was expecting out of him. He seemed to not even want me around him…but...he seemed rather sincere about what he said. If I like it, then it's enough..."

Genichirou ran his fingers through his midnight black hair and grunted a gruff "That's true." He spoke gruffly. He didn't want to agree but what the latte boy said was something Seiichi needed to take to heart. The man often tried too much, and failed to see his success through all his efforts. He agreed but he hated it. That wasn't something some kid should be preaching to his lover, not when he knew nothing about that type of person his lover was. Genichirou wanted to say more, but there wasn't anything else to be said. Anything else to come out of his mouth about the matter would just be whining, and that was pretty much admitting that Seiichi was right, he was jealous. "Fine. Let's call it a night then. Syuusuke comes home tomorrow from Hokkaido, Tezuka mentioned Keigo had something planned tomorrow night for him."

Seiichi smiled, he had missed Syuusuke just a bit more than the others. They both operated on a different wave length and a lot of the time they just understood each other better than anyone else in the household could. "He's probably going to do something super fancy. Syu won't like that."

Genichirou nodded in agreement.

* * *

 _8:07pm._

Syuusuke may have told a little fib. The brunette pulled his gray knit scarf tighter around his neck as he casually walked the streets of Tokyo. The night had gotten considerably cooler. The twenty-five-year-old had specifically told his lovers he would be arriving back in Tokyo the next day in order to have a day to himself to unwind. Having four lovers was quite the mental workout, especially when they hadn't seen him in a month, so while guilt would creep up on him later right now he took the opportunity to have a quiet and cheap uneventful dinner. The male was a professional photographer, mainly doing freelance projects. He went wherever looked interesting to him, so his portfolio varied. He'd done wildlife photography, to weddings, to covering major social events. So needless to say, he traveled a lot, and this past year more so than usual. Keigo had been extremely clingy as a result, more so than any of the others. All his lovers loved on another, and he loved all of them dearly and equally. That did not mean though that he was very compatible with every one of his lovers. Genichirou and Seiichi had been childhood friends so naturally they were a bit closer. Kunimitsu and himself had met in middle school and were on the same tennis team, so they got along well. Keigo had been one of Kunimitsu's friend back then, and while Syuusuke hated thinking this…him and Keigo's relationship was existed merely because their foursome existed. In simpler terms, he and Keigo probably would have never been together on their own, and their relationship would not exist outside of their foursome. He got along great with Seiichi, they were close friends. And he had many things in common with Genichirou, and had even spent a lot of time with him outside of the group. Keigo and himself though, they clashed every single time.

Perhaps Keigo had realized what Syuusuke had known all along, and that's why he was trying so hard. Syuusuke knew he was the one choosing to run away.

"Huh, Fuji…senpai?"

Syuusuke snapped out of his thoughts, realizing that he had stopped walking and was staring at a light pole. The male blinked then turned around to see who had called out to him. No one have added a 'senpai' to his name in quiet some time. "Oh, Ryo-chan."

Ryoma scowled. No one had called him that in a long time. "Tch. Never mind, go back to staring at your pole."

Syuusuke get chuckled and grabbed Ryoma's sleeve to stop him from walking away. "Still all bite and no bark Ryo-chan. It's been a while. I thought you planned on staying in the states. At least that's what Yuta had told me when you left."

Ryoma pulled his sleeve away and shrugged his shoulders. "Well, I'm here now aren't I? I just got bored."

"Oh?" Syuusuke hummed with a raise of his brow, "Did you beat everyone already then?" He teased.

Ryoma sighed and shook his head. Syuusuke chuckled again. Ryoma never failed to make it obvious when he was annoyed with someone or something. "Well since your back. Let's have dinner together. I know a place that opened up about a year ago that serves really good katsudon."

It wasn't like Ryoma had much of a choice in going, even if he really wasn't looking to eat katsudon right now. He figured Syuusuke was thinking of his brother Yuta, that was the person you can entice to do anything for a bowl of katsudon. The pair now walked in silence, Ryoma absent mindedly following Syuusuke to where h wanted to eat. It was a bit different to be walking with the brunette without his little brother. He still looked the same too, just a bit taller, a bit more mature looking. He still had that same friendly inviting closed eye smile. It must have been about five years since he'd seen Syuusuke and Yuta. He had met the younger brother at tennis camp one summer. If he remembered correctly they were both nine and Syuusuke was thirteen, in his second year in middle school*. He remembered going to see Syuusuke's matches with his team a lot that summer too. Him and Yuta watched Syuusuke all the way up until the older boy started high school. By that point Ryoma and Yuta were focused on their own tennis careers and school. The brunette had been an amazing player.

"So, you went with photography?" Ryoma asked once they were settled in at their table in the restaurant Syuusuke mentioned. Their conversations stayed light, no one really wanting to tell too much about themselves till they got a feel for each other again. Ryoma had been Yuta's friend more so than Syuusuke's.

"Yup, I have an accounting degree as well. But that's just for when photography can't pay the bills." Syuusuke spoke. "What about you? You say your home for good. Have you thought about going to a university? Or were you able to keep up with that while competing?"

Ryoma bit the inside of his lip gently. He hadn't really thought about going back to school, and now that the thought was put out there, "No I didn't keep up with it. I left, maybe five years ago and I didn't graduate high school." His head was starting to hurt not. He loved tennis, but the love he had for the sport when he was younger was unhealthy. He threw everything away for the sport, but he had been raised to be that way, but now he had nothing to show for it. Ryoma sighed, "I just got back in town a month ago, I'm living off my earnings from tennis for now."

Syuusuke frowned, "That's not good Ryoma. You should at least find a job soon or you'll blow through everything you have before you know it. "

"I know." Ryoma grumbled, rolling his eyes.

"Seriously Ryoma. How come you didn't just stay with your parents that would have been the smarter move."

"I know"

"Ryoma, you— "

"I know okay! I know! God, I don't need you telling me things I've already thought over!" Ryoma snapped. This was just like listening to his mom, only it was Syuusuke so he didn't have to sit here and take it. The younger male shot up and stormed out of the restaurant. Syuusuke was hot on his heels.

"Ryoma wait, wait." The brunette managed to catch him right after he left the restaurant. The always crowed streets made it hard for Ryoma to escape quickly enough. "Look, I'm sorry. I have no place trying to lecture you. But...here take my number at least. If you need anything just call ok?"

Syuusuke had no idea what was going on with Ryoma, but if he was still anything like the kid he knew he was probably pushing everyone away and trying to deal with it on his own. So, at the very least he could lend an ear when the other needed it. Ryoma was reluctant to give the other his number but he knew Syuusuke was persistent. With a sigh, the cat eyed male pulled out his phone so he could exchange numbers with the other.

Little did the pair know, confused violet eyes watched from a distance.

* * *

 **end notes** : this chapter combined and revised chapters 1-3 in Café Latte

*I'm going with Japanese grade system so at twelve Syuusuke would have started middle school

*I'm just going to use everyone's first names since I get confused when I switch back and forth, and since they foursome are lover they would call each other by their first names.

*For this fic everyone is older so to keep things simple if I have done the math right through this chapter Ryoma is five years younger than the foursome. Atobe, Tezuka, Fuji, and Sanada will be 25. Other character ages will be listed as they come into the story

*So I forgot Fuji's little brother's name, is it Yuta (Yuuta) or Futa (Fuuta)?


End file.
